Actually, in one sense, “T-Day” is tonight, as the Dallas Opera opens our fabulous production of “Turandot,” with irresistible music by Giacomo Puccini including the best-known aria in the repertoire: “Nessun Dorma,” sung by Italian tenor Antonello Palombi. This production stars the marvelous American soprano Lise Lindstrom in the title role at the head of a stellar ensemble. For those who can’t make it to one of the upcoming performances at the Winspear, we have an offer you can’t refuse: come to Cowboys Stadium and experience this opera live on the big screens, presented by The Dallas Foundation. Today we hit the 20,000 mark on requested tickets for our upcoming Cowboys Stadium Simulcast happening Saturday, April 13th, so you won’t have to worry about having the place to yourself.

(The Stadium doors open at 6:00 and we’ll start things off with the world’s largest cartoon screening of “What’s Opera, Doc?” followed by a delicious one-act opera based on the cooking shows of Chef Julia Child, Lee Hoiby’s “Bon Appetit!” At 7:30, it’s the spectacular live presentation of Puccini’s final masterpiece from the stage of the Winspear Opera House. More details in the release below; get thee to dallasopera.org/cowboys/ and reserve your FREE tickets today.)

DALLAS, TX, APRIL 5, 2013 – The Dallas Opera, in partnership with Cowboys Stadium and with support from The Dallas Foundation, is delighted to report that more than 20,000 tickets have been requested for the free April 13th Dallas Opera Cowboys Stadium Simulcast in Arlington, TX.
Our second Cowboys Stadium Simulcast will center on that evening’s live performance of Giacomo Puccini’s splendid TURANDOT, as it happens on the Shannon and Ted Skokos Stage in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The curtain will go up at 7:30 p.m. Patrons will be able to enjoy a complete, unabridged performance on the world’s largest high-definition video board structure, consisting of four massive viewing screens (the largest, 72 feet tall and 160 feet wide) suspended directly above the playing field.
At 6:45 p.m., prior to the live performance, the Dallas Opera will present the world’s largest cartoon screening (based on screen size): Warner Brothers Classics 1957 masterpiece, “What’s Opera, Doc?” starring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd and voted the #1 cartoon ever produced (in 1994, by a thousand working animators). Directed by animation legend Chuck Jones, the cartoon pokes fun at opera’s most persistent stereotypes, Wagnerian heft, and Elmer Fudd’s never-ending pursuit of that “wascally wabbit!”
At 7:00 p.m., the Dallas Opera will present a recording of the Dallas Opera’s recent live presentation of composer Lee Hoiby’s “Bon Appétit!” created for actress Jean Stapleton in 1989 and starring acclaimed mezzo-soprano Susan Nicely as Julia Child, the chef-who-became-an-international icon (with a little help from SNL comedian Dan Aykroyd).
Based on segments of Julia Child’s popular cooking show, The French Chef (winner of the first Emmy Award given to an educational program), and incorporating Child’s actual dialogue as shaped by librettist Mark Shulgasser, this laugh-out-loud modern opera was performed in English at the Dallas Farmer’s Market Demonstration Kitchen to enthusiastic audiences and unanimous rave reviews.
Miss Nicely was accompanied by pianist Mary Dibbern, Music Director for Education and Family Programs at the Dallas Opera in performances supported by The Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs.

Free general admission tickets for the entire evening can be obtained through the Dallas Opera website at www.dallasopera.org/cowboys.

“In 2012, The Dallas Foundation helped the Dallas Opera bridge the distance between two very different cultures: the world of professional opera and the world of professional football,” explained Mary Jalonick, President of The Dallas Foundation. “The Dallas Foundation is proud to again be the presenting sponsor of the Dallas Opera’s 2013 simulcast of Turandot on April 13th.
“If you didn’t have a chance to attend last year, don’t miss this opportunity to experience a world-class performance at the world-class Cowboys Stadium.”

“We are excited to partner with the Dallas Opera for a second Cowboys Stadium Simulcast,” said Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President of Brand Management Charlotte Anderson. “Our organization greatly admires and respects The Dallas Opera’s original thinking and stewardship in making ground-breaking events like these a reality because we truly value the importance of the arts in our community.”

“It’s been a personal goal of mine to bring tremendous artists and unforgettable entertainment to the widest possible audience here in North Texas,” commented Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “and nothing does that better than opera, as shown by the many thousands who attended last spring’s Cowboys Stadium Simulcast of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.”
“The Dallas Opera is extremely honored that The Dallas Foundation is supporting this event for a second consecutive year and we are equally grateful for the generosity of the Jones Family, who encouraged this extraordinary collaboration with the Cowboys organization from the moment we made our dream known to them.”
“I hope that the centralized location of Cowboys Stadium will—once again—attract music and theater lovers from here to the Red River, to this free simulcast of Puccini’s final and most glorious masterpiece,” Mr. Cerny adds, “especially those who, for a variety of reasons, have perceived opera as an intimidating or challenging art form, rather than an incredibly exciting way to spend an evening with those you love.
“We want to set a fun and relaxed tone, right from the start, with our special screening of a phenomenally popular cartoon that’s a subversive work of genius: Warner Brothers Classics’ ‘What’s Opera, Doc?’ made in 1957, the year the Dallas Opera was launched. That famously huge white horse Bugs rides will never be any bigger than on the screens at Cowboys Stadium; and I, for one, can’t wait!”

“Now,” adds Dallas Opera Artistic Director Jonathan Pell, “by being able to include Lee Hoiby’s charming Bon Appétit! in an already stellar line-up, we’re going to give simulcast patrons one unrepeatable, unforgettable night at the opera! We’ll begin with an out-and-out spoof, proceed to a clever comic tribute, and end with one of the grandest of grand operas in the entire repertoire.
“And each of them, in its own way, is a thoroughly enjoyable masterpiece.”
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Single tickets for the remaining mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera’s “Pursuits of Passion” Season are on sale now, starting at just $19, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $25 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.
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EVENTS AND GUEST ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE “PURSUITS OF PASSION” SEASON
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:

AMERICAN AIRLINES – OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
LEXUS – OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE DALLAS OPERA

Ticket Information for the 2012-2013 Dallas Opera Season

All performances are in the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Single Tickets for TURANDOT, THE ASPERN PAPERS and family performances are on sale now. Tickets for the mainstage productions start for a new low price of $19! For more information, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.

THE DALLAS OPERA 2012-2013 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Sixth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.

* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
______________________________________________________________________________________
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; TACA; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to Mrs. William W. Winspear and the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for their continuing support.

April is just around the corner, bringing with it warmer temperatures and exciting days and nights of opera! Here’s the rundown for the entire month, which includes two mainstage productions and a free Dallas Opera Cowboys Stadium Simulcast!

DALLAS, March 12, 2013 – The Dallas Opera spring season is set to take the town by storm!
Giacomo Puccini’s final masterpiece, TURANDOT, takes centerstage in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 5, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. and continues through April 21st, underwritten in part by TACA, Amy and Vernon Faulconer and the Rosemary and Roger Enrico Foundation, as well as TDO’s season presenting sponsor, Texas Instruments Foundation.
The title role will be sung by American soprano Lise Lindstrom, who has triumphed in many of the leading opera houses around the world. Opera Chic, writing of her Metropolitan Opera debut just a few years ago, raved “Lindstrom was the ice that sets you on fire! Confident and effortless, her huge voice rang through the cavernous MET, her succinct Italian pronunciation soaring easily over the orchestra…Lise captured the perfect balance of vulnerability and ruthless strength with a voice that brought Puccini-induced rapture at the caress of each soprano-killing note.”
Joining Ms. Lindstrom singing the role of Calaf will be Italian tenor Antonello Palombi who captured our hearts in the opening production of our “Pursuits of Passion” Season singing the role of Radamés in Aïda. David Weuste of Everyday Opera wrote, “Tenor Antonello Palombi as Radamès is one of the best tenor voices to hit the DFW Metroplex in awhile. His voice was so big, so dark, and so ‘Verdian,’ that his timbre could almost be confused with a baritone until he belted out that upper register.”
Another renowned soprano, Hei-Kyung Hong, returns to the Dallas Opera in the tragic role of Liù. Miss Hong made her 1996 Dallas Opera debut in Mozart’s Don Giovanni as the flirtatious Zerlina, later singing the leads in La bohème and Manon. Making his Dallas Opera debut as Timur is versatile American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn.
TURANDOT will be conducted by Maestro Marco Zambelli and staged by director Garnett Bruce.
Single tickets for TURANDOT start at the low price of $19 and can be purchased, 24/7, at dallasopera.org or by contacting the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000.

In addition to our Winspear Opera House performances, the April 13th performance of TURANDOT will be simulcast live to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and parking for the event are absolutely free. Tickets can be reserved now at dallasopera.org/cowboys. Stadium doors open at 6:00 p.m, the Warner Brothers Classics cartoon “What’s Opera, Doc?” will be aired in the world’s largest screening at 6:45 p.m., Lee Hoiby’s one-act Julia Child Opera (“Bon Appétit!”) airs at 7:00 p.m. and the curtain rises on TURANDOT at 7:30 p.m.
The Dallas Opera Cowboys Stadium Simulcast will be presented by The Dallas Foundation.

Pulitzer Price-winning composer Dominick Argento’s opera THE ASPERN PAPERS opens Friday, April 12, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. This new production celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 1988 Dallas Opera world premiere. It will star internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, making her long awaited Dallas Opera debut singing the role of Tina. The New York Times writes “The American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham has for the better part of a decade impressed audiences with her creamy singing.”
Baritone Nathan Gunn will share the stage with Ms. Graham as The Lodger. Mr. Gunn last appeared on the Dallas Opera stage as Malatesta in DON PASQUALE. Theater Jones remarked, “Nathan Gunn, as the scheming Doctor Malatesta, possesses a voice that is pure honey; perfectly produced and even from top to bottom.”
French soprano Alexandra Deshorties sings the role of the famous diva, Juliana Bordereau.
THE ASPERN PAPERS will be conducted by Dallas Opera Music Director Graeme Jenkins in his farewell performances and staged by Tim Albery, The James R. Seitz, Jr., Stage Director in Honor of John Gage.
This 25th Anniversary production is made possible by support from:
Mrs. William W. Winspear; Sally Von Behren; the National Endowment for the Arts; OPERA America’s Opera Fund; the Tobin Theatre Arts Fund; and Marnie and Kern Wildenthal.

Subsequent performances of TURANDOT are scheduled for April 7(m), 10, 13, 19, 21(m), 2013.
Additional performances of THE ASPERN PAPERS are scheduled for April 14(m), 17, 20, 28(m), 2013.
Single tickets for the remaining mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera’s “Pursuits of Passion” Season are on sale now, starting at just $19, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $25 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.

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On Saturday, April 27, 2013 you have two opportunities to enjoy a performance of Georges Bizet’s romantic, one-act operetta about love and omelets, DOCTOR MIRACLE, at the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House located at 2403 Flora Street, Dallas 75201 at either 10:30 a.m. (for the best seats) or 2:00 p.m.
In between, we have arts-and-crafts lobby activities beginning at noon, and a special cooking demonstration beginning at 12:30 p.m. Chef Scott of “1st Class Kids” will demonstrate how to make various types of omelets (and you get to enjoy the results). Presented by the Chefsville Kids Education Program.
Tickets for this lovely little opera are family budget-priced at $5 apiece! Contact the Dallas Opera at 214.443.1000 or purchase online at dallasopera.org. Tickets will also be available at the door
Please note that RSVPs are recommended or required for all TDO events. Go to dallasopera.org/rsvp or call the RSVP hotline at 214.443.1000 to reserve your seat now.

The Dallas Opera Educational/Family Series is presented by The Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs, Chase, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and Texas Instruments, Inc., and made possible in part by grants from The David M. Crowley Foundation, the Rosewood Foundation, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

2.) Friday, April 5, 2013 (7:30 – 10:30 PM)
Puccini’s TURANDOT Opening Night/The Amy and Vernon Faulconer Performance
In Beijing’s Forbidden City, a barbarian prince risks everything to win the hand (and ignite the love) of the cold and calculating Princess Turandot. Calàf’s passionate pursuit of his elusive royal prize will test his wits and stamina, as well as his heart, in one of the 20th century’s greatest and grandest operas! Soprano Lise Lindstrom will make her company debut in the role in which she has earned rave reviews at La Scala and The Met. This spectacular production designed by Allen Charles Klein marks the return of Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo and Juliet) to lead an inspiring, all-star cast!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

3.) Sunday, April 7, 2013 (2:00 – 5:00 PM)
Puccini’s TURANDOT Sunday Matinee I
In Beijing’s Forbidden City, a barbarian prince risks everything to win the hand (and ignite the love) of the cold and calculating Princess Turandot. Calàf’s passionate pursuit of his elusive royal prize will test his wits and stamina, as well as his heart, in one of the 20th century’s greatest and grandest operas! Soprano Lise Lindstrom will make her company debut in the role in which she has earned rave reviews at La Scala and The Met. This spectacular production designed by Allen Charles Klein marks the return of Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo and Juliet) to lead an inspiring, all-star cast!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

5.) Wednesday, April 7, 2013 (7:30 – 10:30 PM)
Puccini’s TURANDOT Midweek Performance
In Beijing’s Forbidden City, a barbarian prince risks everything to win the hand (and ignite the love) of the cold and calculating Princess Turandot. Calàf’s passionate pursuit of his elusive royal prize will test his wits and stamina, as well as his heart, in one of the 20th century’s greatest and grandest operas! Soprano Lise Lindstrom will make her company debut in the role in which she has earned rave reviews at La Scala and The Met. This spectacular production designed by Allen Charles Klein marks the return of Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo and Juliet) to lead an inspiring, all-star cast!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

6.) Friday, April 12, 2013 (7:30 – 9:30 PM)
THE ASPERN PAPERS Opening Night/The Marnie and Kern Wildenthal Performance
To mark the 25th anniversary of this Dallas Opera world premiere, TDO has assembled an extraordinary team to create a brand-new production of Henry James’ atmospheric tale. From the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, across vast expanses of time, space and memory, Dominick Argento’s The Aspern Papers will mesmerize audiences en route to its inevitable-yet-thrilling conclusion! Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Tina in her long-anticipated Dallas Opera debut, with soprano Alexandra Deshorties as a famous diva, and baritone Nathan Gunn as an obsessed music lover who will stop at nothing in this dangerous game of cat-and-mouse!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

9.) Saturday, April 13, 2013 (7:30 – 10:30 PM)
Puccini’s TURANDOT Saturday Performance
In Beijing’s Forbidden City, a barbarian prince risks everything to win the hand (and ignite the love) of the cold and calculating Princess Turandot. Calàf’s passionate pursuit of his elusive royal prize will test his wits and stamina, as well as his heart, in one of the 20th century’s greatest and grandest operas! Soprano Lise Lindstrom will make her company debut in the role in which she has earned rave reviews at La Scala and The Met. This spectacular production designed by Allen Charles Klein marks the return of Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo and Juliet) to lead an inspiring, all-star cast!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

10.) Sunday, April 14, 2013 (2:00 – 4:00 PM)
THE ASPERN PAPERS Sunday Matinee I
To mark the 25th anniversary of this Dallas Opera world premiere, TDO has assembled an extraordinary team to create a brand-new production of Henry James’ atmospheric tale. From the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, across vast expanses of time, space and memory, Dominick Argento’s The Aspern Papers will mesmerize audiences en route to its inevitable-yet-thrilling conclusion! Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Tina in her long-anticipated Dallas Opera debut, with soprano Alexandra Deshorties as a famous diva, and baritone Nathan Gunn as an obsessed music lover who will stop at nothing in this dangerous game of cat-and-mouse!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

11.) Wednesday, April 17, 2013 (7:30 – 9:30 PM)
THE ASPERN PAPERS Mid-week Performance
To mark the 25th anniversary of this Dallas Opera world premiere, TDO has assembled an extraordinary team to create a brand-new production of Henry James’ atmospheric tale. From the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, across vast expanses of time, space and memory, Dominick Argento’s The Aspern Papers will mesmerize audiences en route to its inevitable-yet-thrilling conclusion! Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Tina in her long-anticipated Dallas Opera debut, with soprano Alexandra Deshorties as a famous diva, and baritone Nathan Gunn as an obsessed music lover who will stop at nothing in this dangerous game of cat-and-mouse!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

12.) Friday, April 19, 2013 (7:30 – 10:30 PM)
Puccini’s TURANDOT Friday/The Rosemary and Roger Enrico Foundation Performance
In Beijing’s Forbidden City, a barbarian prince risks everything to win the hand (and ignite the love) of the cold and calculating Princess Turandot. Calàf’s passionate pursuit of his elusive royal prize will test his wits and stamina, as well as his heart, in one of the 20th century’s greatest and grandest operas! Soprano Lise Lindstrom will make her company debut in the role in which she has earned rave reviews at La Scala and The Met. This spectacular production designed by Allen Charles Klein marks the return of Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo and Juliet) to lead an inspiring, all-star cast!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

13.) Saturday, April 20, 2013 (7:30 – 9:30 PM)
THE ASPERN PAPERS Saturday Night
To mark the 25th anniversary of this Dallas Opera world premiere, TDO has assembled an extraordinary team to create a brand-new production of Henry James’ atmospheric tale. From the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, across vast expanses of time, space and memory, Dominick Argento’s The Aspern Papers will mesmerize audiences en route to its inevitable-yet-thrilling conclusion! Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Tina in her long-anticipated Dallas Opera debut, with soprano Alexandra Deshorties as a famous diva, and baritone Nathan Gunn as an obsessed music lover who will stop at nothing in this dangerous game of cat-and-mouse!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

14.) Sunday, April 21, 2013 (2:00 – 5:00 PM)
Puccini’s TURANDOT Sunday Matinee II
In Beijing’s Forbidden City, a barbarian prince risks everything to win the hand (and ignite the love) of the cold and calculating Princess Turandot. Calàf’s passionate pursuit of his elusive royal prize will test his wits and stamina, as well as his heart, in one of the 20th century’s greatest and grandest operas! Soprano Lise Lindstrom will make her company debut in the role in which she has earned rave reviews at La Scala and The Met. This spectacular production designed by Allen Charles Klein marks the return of Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo and Juliet) to lead an inspiring, all-star cast!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets

16.) Sunday, April 28, 2013 (2:00 – 4:00 PM)
THE ASPERN PAPERS Sunday Matinee II
To mark the 25th anniversary of this Dallas Opera world premiere, TDO has assembled an extraordinary team to create a brand-new production of Henry James’ atmospheric tale. From the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, across vast expanses of time, space and memory, Dominick Argento’s The Aspern Papers will mesmerize audiences en route to its inevitable-yet-thrilling conclusion! Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Tina in her long-anticipated Dallas Opera debut, with soprano Alexandra Deshorties as a famous diva, and baritone Nathan Gunn as an obsessed music lover who will stop at nothing in this dangerous game of cat-and-mouse!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets.

EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “MARCH AT THE DALLAS OPERA”
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS

THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:

AMERICAN AIRLINES – OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
LEXUS – OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE DALLAS OPERA

Ticket Information for the 2012-2013 Dallas Opera Season

All performances are in the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Single Tickets for TURANDOT, THE ASPERN PAPERS and family performances are on sale now. Family performances are $5, mainstage operas start at a new low price of just $19! For more information, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.

THE DALLAS OPERA 2012-2013 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Sixth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.

* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; TACA; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to Mrs. William W. Winspear and the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for their continuing support.

Above the ten thousand mark, and counting. Today we reported reaching our first official milestone in connection with the upcoming April 13th Cowboys Stadium Simulcast of Puccini’s TURANDOT. Sponsored by The Dallas Foundation, everything is free from the parking to your seat – unless you decide to hit the concession stands (in which case, you’re on your own). There’s a tasty new addition to the evening’s entertainment – more details in the release below. (Photo courtesy of Karen Almond, Dallas Opera)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, March 8, 2013
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Megan Meister 214.443.1071
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org megan.meister@dallasopera.org
THE DALLAS OPERA IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE
THE FIRST MILESTONE ACHIEVED!
MORE THAN 10,000 RSVPs FOR
FREE APRIL 13TH COWBOYS STADIUM SIMULCAST!
~~~~
PUCCINI’S “TURANDOT” LIVE!
Sign Up Now at dallasopera.org/cowboys
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A Hot New Addition to the Program:
Lee Hoiby’s Appetizing Short Opera
“BON APPETIT!”
STARRING SUSAN NICELY AS JULIA CHILD
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With the World’s Largest Cartoon Screening of the 1957 Chuck Jones Masterpiece, “WHAT’S OPERA, DOC?”

DALLAS, TX, MARCH 8, 2013 – The Dallas Opera, in partnership with Cowboys Stadium and with support from The Dallas Foundation, is delighted to report that the first milestone has been achieved: more than 10,000 tickets have been requested for the free April 13th Dallas Opera Cowboys Stadium Simulcast at One Legends Way in Arlington, TX. Of that number, over 40% of the households have no previous purchase history or simulcast history with the Dallas Opera; while more than half of the tickets were requested by households that either attended or requested tickets for the initial simulcast last April.
Our second Cowboys Stadium Simulcast will center on that evening’s live performance of Giacomo Puccini’s TURANDOT, as it happens on the Shannon and Ted Skokos Stage in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The curtain will go up at 7:30 p.m. Patrons will be able to enjoy a complete, unabridged performance on the world’s largest high-definition video board structure, consisting of four massive viewing screens (the largest, 72 feet tall and 160 feet wide) suspended directly above the playing field.
At 6:45 p.m., prior to the live performance, the Dallas Opera will present the world’s largest cartoon screening (based on screen size): Warner Brothers Classics 1957 masterpiece, “What’s Opera, Doc?” starring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd and voted the #1 cartoon ever produced (in 1994, by a thousand members of the animation field). Directed by animation legend Chuck Jones, the cartoon pokes fun at opera’s most persistent stereotypes, Wagnerian heft, and Elmer Fudd’s never-ending pursuit of that “wascally wabbit!”
An exciting new element has been added to the program: At 7:00 p.m., the Dallas Opera will present a recording of the Dallas Opera’s recent live presentation of composer Lee Hoiby’s “Bon Appétit!” created for actress Jean Stapleton in 1989 and starring acclaimed mezzo-soprano Susan Nicely as Julia Child, the chef-who-became-an-international icon (with a little help from SNL comedian Dan Aykroyd).
Based on segments of Julia Child’s popular cooking show, The French Chef (winner of the first Emmy Award given to an educational program), and incorporating Child’s actual dialogue as shaped by librettist Mark Shulgasser, this laugh-out-loud modern opera was performed in English at the Dallas Farmer’s Market Demonstration Kitchen to enthusiastic audiences and unanimous rave reviews.
Gregory Sullivan Isaacs of Theater Jones wrote: “Bon Appétit! and Nicely’s excellent performance of it was overwhelmingly received by the audience. A number of patrons asked “Who is Lee Hoiby and why have we never heard of him?
“Well, here is the answer. Hoiby was one of the great opera composers of modern times and it is absolutely shameful that his marvelous theatrical works do not grace the stage of every opera company in the world. The composer was unfairly maligned for writing in a tonal style during the era of wild experimentation and dissonance…Now that the pendulum has swung back the other way…it is time to say a big mea culpa to Hoiby and get his stuff on the stage.”

Miss Nicely was accompanied by pianist Mary Dibbern, Music Director for Education and Family Programs at the Dallas Opera in performances supported by The Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs.

Free general admission tickets for the entire evening can be obtained through the Dallas Opera website at www.dallasopera.org/cowboys.

“In 2012, The Dallas Foundation helped the Dallas Opera bridge the distance between two very different cultures: the world of professional opera and the world of professional football,” explained Mary Jalonick, President of The Dallas Foundation. “The Dallas Foundation is proud to again be the presenting sponsor of the Dallas Opera’s 2013 simulcast of Turandot on April 13th.
“If you didn’t have a chance to attend last year, don’t miss this opportunity to experience a world-class performance at the world-class Cowboys Stadium.”

“We are excited to partner with the Dallas Opera for a second Cowboys Stadium Simulcast,” said Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President of Brand Management Charlotte Anderson. “Our organization greatly admires and respects The Dallas Opera’s original thinking and stewardship in making ground-breaking events like these a reality because we truly value the importance of the arts in our community.”

“It’s been a personal goal of mine to bring tremendous artists and unforgettable entertainment to the widest possible audience here in North Texas,” commented Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “and nothing does that better than opera, as shown by the many thousands who attended last spring’s Cowboys Stadium Simulcast of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.”
“The Dallas Opera is extremely honored that The Dallas Foundation is supporting this event for a second consecutive year and we are equally grateful for the generosity of the Jones Family, who encouraged this extraordinary collaboration with the Cowboys organization from the moment we made our dream known to them.”
“I hope that the centralized location of Cowboys Stadium will—once again—attract music and theater lovers from here to the Red River, to this free simulcast of Puccini’s final and most glorious masterpiece,” Mr. Cerny adds, “especially those who, for a variety of reasons, have perceived opera as an intimidating or challenging art form, rather than an incredibly exciting way to spend an evening with those you love.
“We want to set a fun and relaxed tone, right from the start, with our special screening of a phenomenally popular cartoon that’s a subversive work of genius: Warner Brothers Classics’ ‘What’s Opera, Doc?’ made in 1957, the year the Dallas Opera was launched. That famously huge white horse Bugs rides will never be any bigger than on the screens at Cowboys Stadium; and I, for one, can’t wait!”

“Now,” adds Dallas Opera Artistic Director Jonathan Pell, “by being able to include Lee Hoiby’s charming Bon Appétit! in an already stellar line-up, we’re going to give simulcast patrons one unrepeatable, unforgettable night at the opera! We’ll begin with an out-and-out spoof, proceed to a clever comic tribute, and end with one of the grandest of grand operas in the entire repertoire.
“And each of them, in its own way, is a thoroughly enjoyable masterpiece.”
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Single tickets for the remaining mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera’s “Pursuits of Passion” Season are on sale now, starting at just $19, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $25 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.
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EVENTS AND GUEST ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE “PURSUITS OF PASSION” SEASON
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:

AMERICAN AIRLINES – OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
LEXUS – OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE DALLAS OPERA

Ticket Information for the 2012-2013 Dallas Opera Season

All performances are in the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Single Tickets for TURANDOT, THE ASPERN PAPERS and family performances are on sale now. Tickets for the mainstage productions start for a new low price of $19! For more information, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.

THE DALLAS OPERA 2012-2013 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Sixth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.

* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
______________________________________________________________________________________
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; TACA; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to Mrs. William W. Winspear and the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for their continuing support.

It’s definitely the little newspaper “that could,” and I mean that in the nicest possible way. The “Sulphur Springs News-Telegram” and its intrepid, award-winning arts editor Terry Mathews continue to defy the odds with detailed, in-depth interviews and articles that have kept the spotlight on the Dallas Opera all season long – and beyond! Or so it seems with this excellent three part, post-season series entitled, “Making Magic.”

Part One deals with the background of the key characters in this story. Read it all here.

Part Two recaps the amazing Dallas Opera season just ended – including the Cowboys Stadium Simulcast. Get it here.

And Part Three looks ahead to the upcoming “Pursuits of Passion” Season…we’ll update shortly to include.

Read the first two parts and thank your lucky stars that small town journalism is alive and well, and holding it’s head high – with good reason – in places like Sulphur Springs, Texas.

It was an amazing thing to see: 15 thousand people, most of whom stayed all the way through the curtain calls and many of whom–I’ll bet–walked away with a completely different impression of this art form we call “opera.”
It was a grand night for the Dallas Opera, The Dallas Foundation, and Cowboys Stadium, but don’t take my word for it.

Here’s a report on the evening (including comments from General Director and CEO Keith Cerny) from KERA’s Jerome Weeks.

But let’s face it: with a crowd of around 15,000, you’re not going to please everyone. Jamie Laughlin of “The Observer” (who correctly identifies Puccini as opera’s “gateway drug”) makes an impassioned argument that opera and sports stadiums simply don’t mix. At least, not in a way that makes opera the moving experience it ought to be. She writes: “Opera is very expensive to produce: the stage, venue and talent comes with a high price point. And it must be a limited quantity of seats. After a certain venue size is reached, you won’t hear that woman die from tuberculosis in the back of the house. For its quality and standards to be upheld, it’s the public’s responsibility to suck it up and buy a ticket to the Winspear. If last Saturday’s offering wasn’t your cup of tea, or in this case, big gulp of Dr. Pepper, that’s natural. Investigate further. Set aside a couple of bar tabs worth of money and shell for seats at next season’s Aida. The Winspear doesn’t sell soft pretzels like Cowboy Stadium, but the music will change you in a way that carbs never can.” Read what led her to this conclusion right here.

Dallas Morning News Editorial writer Rodger Jones landed in seats with a “bad view” (i.e. at the juxtoposition of two screens, one large, one smaller). Rodger and his guest released themselves on their own recognizance and found terrific seats on the 40-yard line. Here’s his full report.

A LONE STAR STATE RECORD!
AN ESTIMATED 15,000
THRILL TO THE MUSIC OF MOZART AT THE DALLAS OPERA COWBOYS STADIUM SIMULCAST!
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PRESENTED BY THE DALLAS FOUNDATION
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HISTORIC SIMULCAST GENERATES TICKET REQUESTS OF MORE THAN 34,000 AND HUNDREDS OF WALK-UPS AT COWBOYS STADIUM!

DALLAS, TX, APRIL 29, 2012 – The Dallas Opera, in partnership with Cowboys Stadium, drew an estimated fifteen thousand patrons to the Dallas Opera’s one-night-only April 28th Dallas Opera Cowboys Stadium Simulcast, presented by The Dallas Foundation, making it the best-attended opera stadium simulcast in Texas history. More than 34,000 ticket requests came in from throughout Texas and 26 additional states, Canada, and the District of Columbia.
Hundreds of patrons descended on Cowboys Stadium after 5:00 p.m. yesterday to scoop up the limited number of general admission tickets made available for the event.
Additional data collected from those making ticket requests indicate that, in the final analysis, 92% of participating households have no previous purchasing history with the Dallas Opera. For many, the Cowboys Stadium Simulcast was their first, live experience of the art form in any venue.
Patrons appeared captivated by the three-hour performance of Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE, originating in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, on the world’s largest high-definition video board structure, comprised of four massive viewing screens (the largest, 72 feet tall and 160 feet wide) suspended directly above the playing field.

“We are thrilled with the overwhelming response to last night’s performance,” said Charlotte Anderson, Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President. “While we loved the idea of helping provide a free simulcast of the Dallas Opera’s performance of THE MAGIC FLUTE when this project first started, I don’t think any of us initially imagined we would ultimately have around fifteen thousand people gather here at Cowboys Stadium to take part in this community event.
“This truly is a powerful showing of support for the arts here in North Texas.”

Operagoers, including many families with younger children, hit Cowboys Stadium concession stands before settling into their seats for an evening of world-class entertainment. Comments, Facebook postings and tweets were overwhelmingly positive throughout the night. Even patrons at the Winspear Opera House got into the spirit of the event, creating an audience “wave” (led by Patrick Carfizzi) that rippled through the entire opera house!

“There has never been a simulcast of this magnitude even attempted in North Texas,” says Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny. “We are so proud of everyone involved: the Jones Family, the Dallas Foundation, our union partners and staff, our patrons, our amazing artists and orchestra, and every individual who stepped up their game to lend support to this extraordinary community event.
“The fact that we attracted requests from tens of thousands of people from all across the country and, ultimately, drew approximately fifteen thousand to Cowboys Stadium in our first offering there, makes this event an unqualified success,” Mr. Cerny explains. “And more importantly, the lengthy and enthusiastic ovation that came at the conclusion of the performance at Cowboys Stadium indicated, strongly, that we either met—or exceeded—our audience’s high expectations.”

The artists themselves were caught up in the simulcast adventure last night. Soprano Ava Pine, who dazzled in the role of Pamina, remarked, “As a born and bred Texan, I already knew we did things just a little bit bigger, but this is amazing! It has been a true joy to be a part of the energy and excitement surrounding this historic simulcast. I only wish I could have seen it myself!”
Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi, whose antics as the love-starved Papageno delighted crowds in both venues added: “Dallas, these are your Cowboys, this is your opera company, and I am honored to be a part of it!”
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Single tickets for the final mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera’s “Tragic Obsessions” Season are on sale now, starting at just $25, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $25 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.
Secure your seats today for the remaining spring mainstage productions: La traviata (through today) and The Magic Flute (April 20th through May 6th).

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THE DALLAS OPERA GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES
THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS FOUNDATION,
PRESENTER OF THE 2011-2012 SEASON

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE “TRAGIC OBSESSIONS” SEASON
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:

AMERICAN AIRLINES – OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
LEXUS – OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
CARTIER – OFFICIAL JEWELER & WATCHMAKER OF THE DALLAS OPERA
ROSEWOOD CRESCENT HOTEL – OFFICIAL HOTEL OF THE DALLAS OPERA

THE DALLAS OPERA 2011-2012 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Fifth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. Performances of The Lighthouse (new chamber opera series) will take place in the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre located directly across Flora street from the Winspear in the AT&T Performing Arts Center. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired. All ticket sales are final and no late seating is permitted prior to intermission. Events and guest artists subject to change.

______________________________________________________________________________________
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; TACA; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Cartier is the official jeweler and watchmaker of The Dallas Opera. Rosewood Crescent Hotel is the official hotel of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to Mrs. William W. Winspear and the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for their continuing support.